Hundreds of working men and women from Build Up NYC rallied outside Brooklyn Borough Hall on Tuesday with activists from Center for Popular Democracy, the New York Committee on Occupational Safety and Health, and Public Citizen to call for good jobs and park space for Brooklyn residents.

Hundreds of working men and women from Build Up NYC rallied outside Brooklyn Borough Hall on Tuesday, April 22 with activists from Center for Popular Democracy, the New York Committee on Occupational Safety and Health, and Public Citizen to call for good jobs and park space for Brooklyn residents. Developers at nearby Brooklyn Bridge Park and Watchtower Properties have not committed to providing the good jobs Brooklyn needs to grow and maintain its middle class.

Three weeks of action were kicked off at the rally to promote responsible real estate development that values the safety of workers and the public. Two construction workers have died in the past month in New York City at construction sites without State-approved training and apprenticeship programs.

The report examines the development projects at Brooklyn Bridge Park and Pier 1, where investors with responsible development requirements are encouraged to review Starwood Capital Group’s performance in light of revelations about its construction history. Starwood has partnered on the project with a general contractor that has a history of dangerous practices, illegal behavior and faulty construction. On the other hand, the request for proposals for the development of Pier 6 has yet to be issued—it offers the city an opportunity to develop principles, institute policies and enforce standards to ensure that public resources contribute to the public good.